Email List Building Basics
It’s important to set up your list right from the start.
Since you want the best possible relationship with your list members, let’s focus on planning ahead and using the right tools so that your efforts will be rewarded.
Choose A Good Domain Name
Choosing a domain name might seem way too basic for a guide on list building. However, if you don’t have a trustworthy domain name it can affect your list building abilities in a negative way.
Your domain is important because you’re going to place your list’s opt-in form in several different places. Having a good domain will ensure that people visit your site in the first place, and see your opt-in form.
Some tips. Choose a domain that…
1. Ends with .com or .org (not .biz or .info)
2. Has no numbers, if possible.
3. Is easy to spell.
4. Is short.
5. Is not hyphenated.
You can purchase domain names at GoDaddy.com.
Get Reliable Hosting
Another important piece of the puzzle is having reliable hosting. If you are using a free service provider or one that is not reliable, your website will look unprofessional (if it’s even up and working).
In fact, the free service providers often have their own advertisements in place on YOUR website (which are distracting), or just do not look professional.
If your host is too cheap and not reliable, your website might not even be there for people when they want to sign up. Having reliable hosting is a very important first step if you want to build a massive list. If you need reliable web hosting, you might check out HostGator.
Sign Up With A Good Autoresponder Company
Having a good autoresponder company is absolutely essential to online business success. An autoresponder allows you to store your e-mail leads, gives you your opt-in form code, sends your autoresponder messages, and tracks how many of your readers opened and read the emails. It is an essential business tool, and, yes, all of the gurus use autoresponders.
Just like your hosting company needs to be reliable, so does your autoresponder company. The good news is that it isn’t expensive to get an account. I use and recommend Aweber.
I do NOT recommend hosting your own autoresponder on your server. The SPAM laws make it very easy for your IP to get blacklisted as a spammer – which means that your leads and customers will not receive your emails. Professional services like Aweber, on the other hand, work tirelessly around the clock to stay on top of all industry updates and ensure a high level of email deliverability.
Always Get Permission
This tip goes along with the one above dealing with spam. As an e-mail marketer you need to make sure that you have permission to send people e-mails. This means that they must opt-in to your list rather than you e-mailing them out of the blue.
You have two options for creating an autoresponder list:
1. Single Opt-in: Your reader signs up on your website and is automatically added to your list.
2. Double Opt-in: Your reader signs up on your website and is sent a confirmation email that contains a link that must be clicked before adding him/her to your mailing list.
Many marketers choose a double opt-in. Why?
The second step reminds people that they have, in fact, signed up to receive messages from you. This can cut down on many of the complaints that might otherwise occur. It also prevents spammers from submitting fake emails to your autoresponder and clogging up your account.
Make List Building A Priority
Building your list should not be an afterthought. If it is, it’s never going to be as large or responsive as you want it to be. Building your list needs to be at at the top of your mind as you build or expand your business. Making it a priority means studying the tips defined in this document, as well as tweaking and testing your own findings.
Do you want to improve your email marketing skills? If so then register for the free webinars below.
Free, Live Email Marketing Webinars ~ Become an Email Marketing Master
Do you want to improve your email marketing skills? If so then register for the free webinars below.
Free, Live Email Marketing Webinars ~ Become an Email Marketing Master
Recommendations:
aWeber Autoresponders - Quickly create and run your campaigns with powerful, easy-to-use email marketing tools.
Go Daddy – Where I purchase all my domain names.
Hostgator – Very reliable and low cost hosting service which I have been using for about ten years.